Designers Kristen McGinnis and Jamie Drake spring into action, sizing up these stylish variations on a contemporary classic

The Experts

The Experts

Compared with other modes of seating, the cantilever chair is a recent invention. Less than 100 years old, the floating chair without rear legs was an obsession among early modernists. Although credit for the first cantilever chair is subject to debate, a handful of leading architects in 1920s Germany—Mart Stam, Marcel Breuer, and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe—produced examples that are now classics. Today, designers are pushing the piece forward with new materials and technology.

"They're both modernist and contemporary," says designer Jamie Drake. "They can even veer toward the space-age—they look as if they're about to take off." But the feeling of sitting in one, he adds, is decidedly down-to-earth. "A little bounce is a wonderful thing," he says. Designer Kristen McGinnis agrees: "A cantilever is all about ease and comfort." She notes that most are simple to move around, making them useful additions to kitchens, home offices, and other functional rooms.

THE EXPERTS

JAMIE DRAKE

The Manhattan designer is known for his use of color and high-profile clients. His newest products include a collection for Boyd Lighting and bath accessories for Labrazel. drakedesignassociates.com

KRISTEN MCGINNIS

The North Carolina native designs interiors with an emphasis on 20th-century art. Now based in New York, she recently created the dining room for this year's Kips Bay Decorator Show House. kristenmcginnis.com

1/ PAULISTANO CHAIR BY PAULO MENDES DA ROCHA

1/ PAULISTANO CHAIR BY PAULO MENDES DA ROCHA

"There's nothing like being held in a cradle," Jamie Drake says of this outdoor canvas sling chair, designed in 1957 by the Pritzker Prize–winning architect. "It's perfect for summertime sipping." Kristen McGinnis likes that it's more flexible than most cantilever chairs. "I love the bounce factor," she says. "You could hang out in this all day long, it's so comfortable." Also offered in leather and other colors. 32" h. x 28" w. x 28" d.; $1,950; espasso.com